Online Activism - Let your voice be heard!

Change through Activism Podcast

changethroughactivism — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:00:01 +0000

Did you know that yesterday was national Pillow Fight Day?

changethroughactivism — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:50:17 +0000

Social networking sites have come a long way in giving people the power to get word out about fun events. For the past 5 years the Newmindspace organization, which was established through Facebook, has been pulling thousands of people together for fun events. In their beginning there were perhaps 1,000 people involved in a pillow fight held in the city, but since then their events have sky-rocketted in popularity.

Just yesterday more than 17,000 people swarmed Manhattan’s Union square to take part in a pillow fight of epic proportions. This small group that originated on Facebook has grown to the point in which pillow fights erupted all over the U.S. in support of the idea, thus establishing aApril 3rd as National Pillow fight Day. Now how’s that for activism?

Click to view slideshow.

EVIL ACTIVISM (The dark side unearthed)

changethroughactivism — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:38:34 +0000

When you think of activism you usually think of positivity. Good causes, smiling faces, making a change for the good. Making things right!

Well if that has been your train of though, it unfortunately seems that it has been but a one sided view, because there are those that take activism into their hands to spread trouble and turmoil.

One of the most recent examples of this can be seen in the case of JihadJane A.K.A. Fatima LaRose, or better yet, legally named Colleen R. LaRose, who who was charged in a plot to murder an artist in Sweden. Not only was she embarking on this mission but also enlisting others to accompany her in this treacherous endeavor.

Now when it comes to murder plots, you generally expect some deep underlying reason. I mean if a terrorist organization put out an official hit on you, you probably did something pretty serious yourself, or at least hold some position of high power. Right? Wrong. This artist was targeted for the crime of depicting the the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog. Yes a bow wow, bark for your attention, tail wagging, squirrel chasing DOG!

“How dare he draw that! Let’s set up a massive murder plot to target him for drawing his own depiction of an artistic depiction!” Is this what the terrorists were after the whole time? Hah! And all this time we were worried about flying.

Online Activism – Frees the oppressed overseas

changethroughactivism — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:51:14 +0000

As of yet this blog has failed to delve into the effects that online activism can have overseas. In a video aired on ABC news it was revealed that the largest protest of all time on February 4th 2008, was put together through the use of Facebook to rise up against the terrorist Farc organization. For those overseas, social networks like Facebook allow for people to get information to the public that their governments would normally have them slain for speaking out on. These networks give a voice to the oppressed. No longer do people have to fear speaking out against their governments, because the anonymity of the internet allows for a greater cushion of safety.

The Video

Twitter Activism

changethroughactivism — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:57:50 +0000

Again we turn our eyes to the Digi Active organization, in their aid to online activists in the ways of the twitter activist. How so? Well naturally they’ve published a guide to twittercation. And the cost? Nothing but a click. You can simply go to the website, click the title page, click to accept looking at the book, and BAM! Your activism through twitter is explained in various sections that show the ingredients to some proper awareness raising to bring people to arms against social injustices!

The website itself with an explanation of the book can be seen here.

Or just check out the book itself!

Where the Online Activists Dwell

changethroughactivism — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:30:20 +0000

A new discovery in the world of online activism! Well not quite new but it was unknown around these parts until now. An online site known as Digi Active provides a hub for activists around the world to get an in depth look at what other activists are up to. Postings on this site are done in a manner that allow for you to see the who, what, why, and how of activist events. One particular article dealt with the well known Jena 6 debacle involving a racial attack against a white male by 6 black students in Jena Louisiana. The white student that was attacked had injuries so inconsequential that he was able to attend a party that same evening, but the black students involved faced a possible 22 years in prison. Major online protests ensued. Much of which was coordinated through sites just like Digi Active, so it’s definitely something you’ll want to check out.

Digi Active

Direct Link to Jena 6 story

FACEBOOK – Activism or slacktivism?

changethroughactivism — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:17:31 +0000

It seems there is a grand debate being kicked around about the use of Facebook for purposes of activism. On one hand people stand up and proclaim that Facebook pushes many people to get involved in good causes. The numbers of people involved in helping others do seem to be quite impressive. But are they really?

Facebook has numerous groups established that are meant to help others. One such example is the “Justice for Jason” group that fights for the rights of a young man who was beaten and assaulted merely because of his race, yet received the bulk of the punishment from law officials for wounding his assailants. Currently that group has 177,262 impressive right? Well actually not so much. I’m personally a member of that group and the farthest my activism ever went with it was pushing the join button.

Sure one can say that this was just my own personal level of involvement and that others have stepped up in a bigger way. But on a website where an pickle can gain more support than an actual person, activism doesn’t seem quite so impressive in this manner. And yes I do mean that a pickle on facebook has more people supporting it’s cause than the majority of pressing issues that appear on Facebook.

Sure it’s great that the numbers look pretty. But when a pickle has almost 1.2 million supporters it makes one realize that it doesn’t take much to give digital support. One click and you feel like you did a good thing. Slacktivism at its best. In some respects Facebook has become the George Jetson version of the activist community. Hope we don’t sprain our fingers from all the hard work!

One thing that no one can deny is that Facebook provides awareness. We may not be doing anything through our clicks, but perhaps we’ll catch the eye of someone who will.

Justice for Jason

The Pickle

The Beginning

changethroughactivism — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:26:42 +0000

Welcome to online activism! This is a safe house for those who wish to get information about the good and bad aspects of what’s going on in the activist community. Activism is a creature of constant change, but many forget to take into account that these change come in positives and negatives. This is where we can come together to join digital hands and make a difference. What’s been going on in the world of activism? Hit us with the good; Hit us with the bad; but always hit us with the important info that will keep us in the know. And always LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

The most recent example of widespread online activism has been seen in the aftermath of the terrible earthquakes in Haiti. One example of an organization pushing for online aid to Haiti is found in the Extraordinaries. This is a group through which organizations can create simple missions for volunteers to complete. These are tasks established to give volunteers a hands on, digital opportunity to make a change from the comfort of their own homes. The Extraordinaries have even established a “Haiti Earthquake Support Center” that provides photo’s of missing people in Haiti for the purpose of identification.

Click Here for more information on The Extraordinaries

Also check out the Tech Soup Blog. They brought this amazing group to our attention.